Improvement in railways



UNITED STATES ALFRED JEFFERY, OF BALTl-MORE, MARYLAND.

PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,56, dated July 19, 1864.

Figure l is a plan or top view of a portion of a railroad laid according to my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line x x, Fig. 1.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts.

lhis invention consists in laying the rails upon elastic blocks, which are secured to the sleepers, and all arranged in such a manner as to admit of the rails having a vertical play or movement, so as to avoid the hammering to which they are now subjected by the passage ofthe cars over them.

A A represent two sleepers, which may be constructed and laid or set in the usual manner; and B B are blocks which are secured to the sleepers, one near each end. These blocks are hollowed out at their under side, as shown i at a in Fig. 2, and they may be secured to thesleepers by means of angle-plate C or by any other means.

D D represent the rails, which are laid on the blocks B B and secured thereto by spikes in the ordinary way, the rails being on the centers of the blocks. These blocks B, in consequence of being hollowed out at their under side, admit ot' the rails having a certain degree of vertical play or elasticity, so that they will not be subjected to the usual hammering and wear or tear, which is a great detriment to the rails.

I do not confine myself to any particular form or shape of the blocks B B, for that may be varied in various ways and the same end attained.

It will be understood that the rails themselves will yield or give to a certain extent, and that the blocks B form an elastic framework for the rails, which effects the desired result.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The employment or use of blocks or supporters interposed between the rails and sleepers of a railroad, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

ALFRED JEFFERY.

Witnesses:

J. P. HALL, GEO. W. REED. 

